The purpose of this paper is to summarize and provide commentary on the following article:
Showers, B. (1982). Transfer of training: The contribution of coaching. Eugene, OR: Center for Educational Policy and Management.
Peer coaching is a form of the observation/assessment model that is said to promote transfer of learning. This form of coaching involves teachers visiting one anotherÆs classrooms, gathering objective data about student performance or teacher behavior, and providing feedback in a follow-up conference. This study examined for the effects of coaching (provided on an in-service basis) to a sample of 17 sixth, seventh, and eighth grade language arts and social studies teachers in the Eugene, Oregon area.
All of the teachers were trained in three discrete models of teaching which they were then expected to transfer to their classroom instructional strategies and practices. In order to help them make this transfer of their learning successful, nine of the teachers receive coaching while the other teachers were observed but offered no coaching.
Data were collected on both the degree to which teacher learning transferred and on problems observed in transferring skills. These data were analyzed using multiple regression statistics.
Findings of the study were said to show that coaching was very effective in helping teachers to transfer their learning at both the conceptual and practical level. Problematic areas were identified.
When this study is considered in light of many other studies showing that coaching has positive effects on transfer of learning, strong support is added to the findings. However, it should be noted that coaching alone was not the sole contributor to the transfer of learning effects. It was also found that regular, planned follow-up is necessary for new methods to become part of the teacher's natural repertoire. Indeed, it should not be thought that this study has identified a...